Author Topic: Changing the substrate (Read 7613 times) 22 replies

Ally2 · « **on:** July 16, 2016, 09:07:35 PM »

Hi
I'm going to change my large substrate to a finer one tommorow , so will need to remove the fish while I do this . Should I put the filter and heater into a bucket with the fish ? As it's going to take a bit of time to do this I'm worried they will get cold . I will put them in the water from their tank , and do a 20 percent water change when I return them with their old tank water . Does the heater adjust to the amount of water in the bucket as it won't be as much as was in the tank as I will leave a small amount nearest to the stones as it will be dirty . I will also need to put the plants in a separate bucket in the tank water or should I put them in treated tap water ?
Please help
Ally

Sue · « **Reply #1 on:** July 16, 2016, 09:39:50 PM »

You can put the ~~filter~~ heater in with the fish to keep them warm, the water volume won't matter.
The filter could be a bit tricker as it's built into the back of the tank isn't it? If that's right you won't be able to move the filter and have it running but you can move the media into the bucket to keep it wet during the chnage.
Are the plant real or synthetic? The best place for them regardless is in with the fish as they will make them sfeel more secure if there is somewhere to hide.
Don't forget to cover the tank in case the fish decide to jump out. You can use anything you have to hand.

Don't save all the water from the tank, just throw the last bit away and when you return the old water to the tank, fill it to 80% full and add new water to the full mark. That's the equivalent of doing a 20% change.

Edit to correct the wrong word

Ally2 · « **Reply #2 on:** July 16, 2016, 09:52:04 PM »

Hi
Sue I'm sorry for being an idiot but I thought the pump made air in the water , so do I need to put the heater in too ? It all comes out as its in a separate compartment at the back and you just remove the outlet from the pump and it then slides out . I can put most of the plants in but will be working on a few so they've got to go in another bucket . I'm going to try to tie the Anubis onto a stone or bog wood to make it higher to try to reduce the flow of the pump so it's better for the betta !
Also I've bought a small piece of bogwood which I've been soaking for 24 hours . How long do you recommend I soak it for before adding it to the tank?
All plants are real .

ColinB · « **Reply #3 on:** July 17, 2016, 08:40:27 AM »

You can leave your fish for a fair few hours unfiltered. We had a 4 hour power cut a while ago and it was no problem. Also, you won't need to bother about the heater as the water will only cool down to room temp and it'll take ages for that to happen. It took me a lot less than 4 hours to swap my substrate over.

As for the bogwood, you only need to soak it for long enough for it to sink... or you can tie a rock (or similar ) to it while it's in the tank. I used an elastic band to fix one of those little plastic tubs that the plants come in on to the bog wood, than put some stones in the tub to keep the wood down for a month. The wood may leach out tannins, which you may or may not like. I do, so I leave it. I would imagine that Purigen would take the tannins out.

Paddyc · « **Reply #4 on:** July 17, 2016, 09:12:10 AM »

Quote from: Sue on July 16, 2016, 09:39:50 PM

You can put the filter in with the fish to keep them warm, the water volume won't matter.

Pretty sure Sue meant heater here, not filter

Sue · « **Reply #5 on:** July 17, 2016, 12:10:34 PM »

Yes I did mean heater

I have corrected my last post. Sorry Ally, I didn't mean to confuse you.

A couple of years ago we had a planned power outage for 8 hours and the fish were fine with no filter or heater. Because it was planned we had warning so I just cut down on the amount of food for a few days before and after and fed nothing on the day itself - exactly the same as for changing the substrate.

At the moment, the weather is warm so the water won't cool down much at all. I'm having to monitor the temp as my eye drops have to be kept below 25^o and it isn't far short of that........I've just been to check and it's 22.5^o in the bedroom now. If the temp in your house is similar, you won't need to move the heater (except maybe to get it out of the way if it inside the tank).
Since the filter is in its own compartment, that won't get in the way.

Ally2 · « **Reply #6 on:** July 17, 2016, 01:34:21 PM »

Hi All
Well I did it ! I changed the substrate to a finer one in black . Also added some black pebbles I bought yesterday that are suitable for aquariums , removed the old pebbles which I'm concerned were affecting my ph ?
Funnily enough the plant that was the only one left in the pot is the one that wasn't doing well so I've thrown that away .
Made another cave out of the pebbles , and fixed the anubia in front of the filter to try and divert the flow for my betta. Think this has worked .
I did put the heater and pump into the bucket with the fish because I would have stressed it was taking me too long to set the tank up properly . Also when I have completed my set up I return the pump and heater to the tank and let it warm up to the minimum temperature of the fish requirements , before returning them .
I do this because even though I let the clean bucket of water get to room temp over night , I can feel a significant difference of water temp from the new water from the tank water . But that's just me .
Will not feed tonight but it is pea Sunday , so can I give moonbeam his absolute favourite thing , a cooked pea ?
He goes mad for it !
Ally

Paddyc · « **Reply #7 on:** July 17, 2016, 01:46:14 PM »

Congrats on getting the substrate changed, I would have done the same thing re: the heater and pump. Any method that takes minimal effort but essentially removes certain stresses from the job is always worth doing.

Regarding feeding, it is recommended to "fast" the tank on the day of such a massive upheaval and you have definitely removed a (small) percentage of the bacteria colonies sonce most of them are in the filter media. If you absolutely must feed him today, I'd give him a much smaller portion than what he normally gets on "Pea sunday"

Don't forget to assess the water parameters regularly and do water changes if required. I'd test in an hour or so, then again before bedtime, then first thing in the morning tomorrow if possible

Ally2 · « **Reply #8 on:** July 17, 2016, 07:40:46 PM »

Hi
Firstly what are water parameters ?
I tested the water an hour after fish back in, nitrate was 0 , ph is still 7.5/7.6 . He's had a little pea small piece . He's explored the tank too 🐟
Alls well

Paddyc · « **Reply #9 on:** July 17, 2016, 08:03:44 PM »

The main ones we are concerned with are Ammonia and Nitrite which are both dealt with by the bacteria colonies in your filter but also attached to the inner surfaces of the tank including the substrate, plants and decor. Do you have a way of testing for ammonia and nitrite since you say you know what the nitrate level is??

If you don't have a means of testing these you can do no harm by doing a small water change tonight and another one tomorrow...

There's every chance that everything is ok but as an extra precautionary measure it might save Moonbeam some suffering.

Sue · « **Reply #10 on:** July 17, 2016, 09:22:06 PM »

Strictly speaking there are water parameters and water quality. The difference is that the first, parameters, are what arrive in the tap water - pH, general hardness and carbonate hardness; the second, quality, are things that develop in the tank - ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.

So we need to know the parameters when choosing fish, and quality for maintaining healthy fish.

However, nearly everyone uses the word parameter to mean everything

Ally2 · « **Reply #11 on:** July 17, 2016, 10:20:17 PM »

I only have a nitrate and ph testing kits . I put back the old filter and sponge which I had put straight into the tank water in a bucket so it wouldn't loose the bacteria . So I should have only lost bacteria from the gravel and sides which I did clean . I'm worried now I am going to test it again . What do you recommend as the amount I do as a water change ? Aren't I diluting it again and removing the old tank water which is beneficial ? I'm totally confused

🐟
Ally

Paddyc · « **Reply #12 on:** July 17, 2016, 10:46:24 PM »

No, the bacteria present in the water is very little. Please don't be worried...

I'd be fairly sure that a daily water change of 25% should be fine, since as you say you haven't disturbed your filter. The best indicator of water quality are the inhabitants so just look for unusual behaviour. You are the best person to know what looks strange. In a few days everything should be just as it was before you changed the substrate

Paddyc · « **Reply #13 on:** July 17, 2016, 10:50:16 PM »

Quote from: Sue on July 17, 2016, 09:22:06 PM

Strictly speaking there are water parameters and water quality. The difference is that the first, parameters, are what arrive in the tap water - pH, general hardness and carbonate hardness; the second, quality, are things that develop in the tank - ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.

So we need to know the parameters when choosing fish, and quality for maintaining healthy fish.

However, nearly everyone uses the word parameter to mean everything

You could argue it is open to interpretation... If you'd asked me what you are checking when you measure pH and hardness, I'd have said quality. If you'd have asked what ammonia and nitrite readings are, I'd have said parameters...

fcmf · « **Reply #14 on:** July 17, 2016, 11:19:05 PM »

Quote from: Paddyc on July 17, 2016, 10:50:16 PM

You could argue it is open to interpretation... If you'd asked me what you are checking when you measure pH and hardness, I'd have said quality. If you'd have asked what ammonia and nitrite readings are, I'd have said parameters...

I see it as water parameters being something we have less control over and are best to work within those parameters eg I have to work within the parameters of very soft water and so choose fish that suit those parameters. However, we have more control over water quality and can improve its quality by keeping ammonia and nitrite at 0 and nitrates low.

Matt · « **Reply #15 on:** July 17, 2016, 11:26:04 PM »

Quick note that may be of interest to some, the human hand can detect a difference once in water temperature of less than 0.5 C quite easily...

Also, I'd agree with fcmfs definitions...

Paddyc · « **Reply #16 on:** July 17, 2016, 11:41:30 PM »

Quote from: fcmf on July 17, 2016, 11:19:05 PM

I see it as water parameters being something we have less control over and are best to work within those parameters eg I have to work within the parameters of very soft water and so choose fish that suit those parameters. However, we have more control over water quality and can improve its quality by keeping ammonia and nitrite at 0 and nitrates low.

Interesting ;earning how people interpret things differently... Maybe it's my engineers brain that is warped compared to you normal folks

ColinB · « **Reply #17 on:** July 18, 2016, 07:32:16 AM »

Paddyc · « **Reply #18 on:** July 18, 2016, 10:01:56 AM »

@Ally2 , how are things today? I have every confidence Moonbeam will be fine

Ally2 · « **Reply #19 on:** July 18, 2016, 11:02:50 AM »

Yes nitrate is zero !
Moonbeam is happy , tank looks clean .
I will keep an eye on it .
Ally

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Changing The Substrate

Changing The Substrate

Author Topic: Changing the substrate (Read 7613 times) 22 replies

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